Repeater compass for submarine boats



July 8,1541;

nB. voN ANDREA-rm Erm.. 2,248,562 A REPEATER COMPASSV Fon SUBMARINEBOATS A horneys Patented July 8, 1941 UNITE-D STATES PATENT VoFFIcia2,248,562 mmm coMrAss For. snnmnnva noA'rs Application April 12, 193s,serial No'. 201,618

In Germany-April 13, 1937 5 claims. (cl. :i3-22o) plurality of repeatercompasses controlled there- 5 by and to use one of these repeatercompasses for steering purposes. This instrument is included within apressure-proof casing and, hence, may be left in its outboard positionwhen the boat dives. The casing is provided with a pressure- .1Q

proof window. As the pressure may rise up to 200 pounds per square inch,the diameter of the window is necessarily limited and, at any rate, muchsmaller than that of a compass dial of customary dimensions.

Therefore, in a compass of this type which was known prior to ourinvention, the window displayed but a small section of the dial justsuilicient for steering purposes, but not suited for use in connectionwith a direction iinding instrument which shall be adapted, to be aimedat a target in any desired direction. Therefore, prior to our inventionit was common practice on submarine boats to use a stationary dialattached to the boat, called "Pelorus," in connection with the directionfinding instrument. This method, however, is diiilcult, inaccurate andimpracticable during the night because of the poor illumination oi thedial.

Another methodthat has been used in determining the direction of targetswith direction finding instruments involves the use of an ordinaryrepeater compass having a full-sized dial. In view of the large size ofthe window, however, such a repeater-compass cannot be madepressure-proof and, therefore, must be connected to a flexible cablepermitting the compass to be withdrawn vinto the interior of theboatprior to the diving operation.' Another reason why this compasscannot be made pressure-proof is the provision of the casing. thereofwith a hole for insertion of a key for the purposeful initiallyadjusting the compass when put in operation. It

would be dimcult to provide a reliable seal of this -45 hole resistinghigh pressure.

The object of our invention is to provide va repeater compass forsubmarine boats which may be read directlyfor steering purposes and yetis adapted for use in connection with a -direction nding instrumentserving to determine the direction of targets relative tothe boat but isso constructed that it may be' left in its .outboard position, when theboat dives'. v

-We attain'these and other objects which will bodiment oi our inventionfollowing hereinafter by so constructing the compass that the diameterof its dial is reduced to that of the pressure-proof window and, fordirection iinding purposes, may be read therethrough by' the directionfinding instrument and issupplemented bya countercourse-indicator whichmay be read directlyby the helmsman for steering purposes. On account ofthe reduced diameter of the dial, the scale thereon is tno small fordirect observation and, therefore, can only be read through themagnifying means of the direction finding instrument. In other words,the dial aiords no possibility of readily ascertaining the direction ofthe boat for steering purposes. However, direct observation is renderedpossible by the additional provision of a countercourse-indicator, forinstance of the type disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 1,922,976 of Aug.15, 1933. I l Y lWe prefer to use an annular dial provided with` acentral opening exposing the countercourseindicator arranged therebelowto view. l v

Moreover, we prefer to include, in the electric control cable of thecompass, a switchboard .25

adapted to disconnect the repeater compass from the master compass andto connect it withl a manually operable transmitter. By means of thistransmitter the repeater compass may be `adjusted to the proper initialposition before it is connected with the master compass. Therefore, thenecessity of providing an opening in the casing for the insertion of akey and the consequent dilculties of sealing such' opening are avoided.

In the drawings, we have shown a preferred embodiment of our invention.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectionA taken along line l-I of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is the vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, .l

Fig. 3 is the section taken along line 3-3 of. Fig. 1 and 4 Fig. 4 is anelevation of the direction ndlng instrument adapted' to be placed on andconnected to the compass shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

, The cup-shaped casing Iii-is suspended inr a Cardan ring in thecustomary manner and, for this purpose, is provided with trunnions i Inear its upper rim. It is closed by an annular cover l2 having a centralopening provided'with a. wide iiange i3 accommodating a circular glassplate I4 of a thickness which is suillcient to withstand high pressures,for instance a -pressure of 200 pounds per square-inch. 'I'he plateappear from the description of a preferred em- 55 is kept in position byan vinnulus I5 8118821118 over its conical edge. Discs of packingmaterial suitably interposed provide for a tight seal -between the glassplate AI4 and the cover I2. On its inside the casing is provided with aange Il carrying a supporting plate i'i to which the different parts ofthe compass are attached; The plate i1 and these parts constitute a unitwhich maybe iirst assembled per se and then introduced into the casingas a whole. At its lower end the casing ID is provided with a stuing-boxIt through which the control cable i9 is introduced into the interior oithe casing, a packing M being provided to seal the stufng-box,

From the supporting plate ill a receiving motor 2i depends which isconnected to' the conductors of the cable i9 and is remote-controlledfrom the master compass in a. known manner which does not form part ofour invention and need not be described in detail, as such receivingmotors are well known in the art.

The amature shaft 22 of the receiving motor is provided with a pinion 23adapted through a suitable transmission to operate the main compass dialM and a minute dial 25 coordinated thereto.

Although the diameter of the window closed by the glass plate i4 is muchsmaller than that of ordinary compass dials amounting, for instance, tobut 3 inches, we have reduced the diameter oi' the main dial 2tapproximately to at:

20j gear 40 mounted on a shaft di.

it directly. For thispurpose, special meansv to be described hereinafterare provided. The dial 2t serves solely to the use in connection withthe direction finding instrument. Suitable means are provided on thecasing for mounting this instrument thereon above the window for readingthe dial. In the present embodiment annular groove i6` on which theinstrument may i be mounted so as to be rotatable about the verticalaxis of the compass. The direction inding instrument is known in the artand, thereifore. need not be described in detail. It is so constructedthat two rays .one coming from the target and the other one from thedial 2Q are led to one and the same eye-piece whereby the observer will'perceive an image of the target onthe compass dial and may, therefore,directly 50 ing the inner race oi.' a ball bearing. the outer race 28 ofwhich is supported on the plate I1 A by suitable spacer-bolts. Moreover,the. ring 21. is integral with a spur gear 29 through which the dial isdriven from the pinion 23. On its diameter.

Beneath the central opening 32 oi. the dial 2l, -there is arranged anauxiliary annular dial 25 serving the purpose of vindicating theminutes. This dial is attached to a. ring 33 constituting the inner raceof a. ball bearing', the outer race 34 of which is suitably attached tothe plate I1. On its top the ring 33 carries a spur gear 36 attachedthereto and at its bottom it carries a crown gear 35. The gear 36 isadapted to be driven by the pinion 23 being ar ranged in mesh therewith.whereas the crown gear 35 is adapted to operate a countercourseindicatorof a known type, for instance of the type disclosed in the Patent No.1,922,976 to Otto of Aug. 15, 1933.

'I'he transmission provided between the main dial 2li and the auxiliarydial 2t comprises a spur gear 31 attached to a shaft 3d and a pinion 38attached to the same shaft in mesh with a On the upper end .of the shaft4|, a pinion is mounted engaging internal teeth oi the gear 29. Theratio of transmission between the gears 3G and til is 1:36. Therefore,themnuten dial 2li performs one complete revolution when the main dialdfi turns through ten degrees.

Within an auxiliary frame M2 depending from the supporting plate il thecountercourseindi cator is mounted. This indicator comprises a widenumber wheel d2 of large diameter and two narrow number wheels 43| andM1 or' smaller A While the two latter number wheels are provided withthe numbers 0 to 9, the wheel t2 is provided with the numbers 0 to 36.The wheels 43 and M' are mounted on an axle t5 arranged above the axleit? of the number wheel 42 in such'aI manner that the top iaces of thethree number wheels are disposed within the same horizontal planeclosely beneath the thse means comprise a collar provided with an minutedial 25- The number Wheels and 43 are exposed to view through thecentral opening of the dials 2li and 25. The number wheel M isunnecessary for the purpose of the present invention and is so arrangedas to be hidden from view.4 'I'he number wheels are driven by a pinion4l which is in mesh with the crown gear 35. Closely above the numberwheels the frame 48 of the counter-indicator is provided with glancewithI an accuracy up to a tenth of a degree. Between the number wheels42, dt, 44| there is provided a ten-carrying mechanism ot a known typeadapted to turn any wheel one step as s0on-as theV adjacentwheel oforder has completed one revolution.

The supporting. Yplate l'i carries a transformer 49 adapted to supplycurrent to the. three eleclower A tric bulbs 3| the sockets of which arelikewise inner periphery the annular plate 2| made of a translucentmaterial is provided with a polishcd sheet metal ring which, below theplate, nares outwardly so as to form a conical member Il serving thepurpose of upwardly reflectin: light radiated from laterally disposedbulbs IJ. The reflected light shines through the dial "M and thusclearly illuminates the scale provided' thereon. In this manner, thescale may readily read during the night time.

attached to' the plate In the cable I9 there is inserted a switch box(not shown) including'a transmitter provided with a hand crank and aswitch. By means of this switch the receiving motor 2| may bedisconnected from the master compass and may be con- 30 which permitsthe sources by itself when connected to the transmitter of the mastercompass to turn the dial 2l to the proper position. Once it has beenturned to proper position, however, and is connected with the mastercompass it will be automatically so controlledas' to turn the dials 24and 25 in synchronism with the master compass.

As the window I l is subjected to a considerable pressure when thesubmarine boat travels at great depths, its diameter is necessarilylimited. Hence, the dial. 25 is so small that its scale cannot beeasily-read directly. ThereforeVthe compass would not be suited forsteering purposes unless it Werev provided with the counter indicator43, M, 45. As this indicator takes up the space below the dials,however, the accoma circular window, a circular pressure-proof glassmodation of the bulbs o'ers difilculties. We have eliminated thesediiliculties in a simple manner by the provision of the conical mirroror reflector 3| of light to be arranged laterally.

, While we have described a preferred embodiment of our invention indetail, we Wish -it to be -understood that our invention is not limitedto these details but capable of numerous modifications within the scopeoi the appended claims.

What we claim is:

plate inserted in said window, an annular rotary dial substantiallyooextensive and coaxial with and mounted below said window within saidcas'- i lng and provided with a scale, means on said casing for mountinga direction nding instrument including magnifying means thereon abovesaid window for reading-said scale, and remote-con- I trolled drivingmeans inV said casing connected tof drive said dial, whereby the courseindicated at any time may be read through said direction findinginstrument.

4. A repeater. compass for submarine boats I comprising a pressure-proofcasing provided with a window, a pressure-proof glass plate inserted ining and connected with said gearing and providedY with a scale too finefor direct visual observation and normally unsuitable for steeringpurposes, a Y

second annular rotary dial mounted below the first-mentioned dial andconnected withsaid vgearing and extending substantially inwardly 1. Arepeater compass for submarine 'boats` comprising a pressure-proofcasing provided with a window, a pressure-proof glass plate inserted insaid window, an annular rotary dial substantially coextensive with andmounted below said window within said casing and provided with a scale,means on the outside of said casing for mounting a direction findinginstrument includingmagnifying' observation means thereon above saidwindow for reading said scale, and remotecontrolled driving means insaid case connected to drive said dial and mounted in said casing.

2.- A repeater compass for submarine boats comprising a pressure-proofcasing provided with a window, apressure-proof glass plate inserted insaid window, an annular rotary dial of translucent materialsubstantially coextensive with and mounted below said window within saidcasing and provided with a scale, a conical reectorbeneath said scale, aplurality of electric bulbs in said casing arranged laterally of saidreector, means on said casing for mounting a direction nding instrument,said instrument including magnifying observation means thereon abovesaid window for reading said scale, and remote-oo ntrolled driving meansin said casing connected to drive said dial.

3. A repeater compass for submarine boats comprising la pressure-proofcasing provided with therefrom,A said second dial having a vscalecalibrated in minutes for direct visual observation, means on theoutside of said casing for mounting a direction-finding instrumentincluding magnifying observation means thereon above said window forreading said scales, and remote-oon-` trolled driving means in saidcasing connected vwith said gearing -to drive said dials.

5. In a repeater compass for submarine boats comprising a pressure-proofcasing provided with a Window and a pressure-proof glass plate insertedin said window, the dimensions thereof being insuillcient fullyltodisplay a compass dial of readable size, a gearing mounted in saidcasing; a rotary dial substantially co'extensive with and mounted belowsaid 'window within said casing and connected with lsaid gearing andprovided witha scale too ne for direct visual observation and normallyunsuitable for steering purposes, a second rotary dial mounted coaxiallywith the gearing and having a scale calibrated in minutes fordirectvisual observation, means on the outside of said casing for mounting adirection-finding instrument including magnifying observation meansthereon above said window for reading said scales, and remote-controlleddriving means in said casing connected with said gearing to drive saiddials.

j BRUNO von' ANDREAI'IA.

' KRAUSKOPF.

